06/27/05 Water & Sewer Use Text Amendment Sec 20,26,28,31,32RESOLUTION AMENDING ORDINANCE REGULATING USE OF WATER AND
SEWER FACILITIES OPERATED BY THE COUNTY OF HARNETT
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of the County of Harnett has previously
adopted that certain Ordinance entitled, "Ordinance Regulating the Use of Water and
Sewer Facilities Operated by the County of Harnett Fixing Rents, Rates, Fees, and Other
Charges and Providing for Collection of Same;" and
WHEREAS, the said Ordinance applies to all water distribution and waste water
collection systems owned and/or operated by the County of Harnett to include
specifically all County water and sewer districts;
AND WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners desires to amend the
aforementioned Ordinance by amending Section 20 relating to "Procedures," Section 26
relating to "Suspension of Service," Section 27 relating to "Complaints- Adjustments,"
Section 28 relating to "Classifications, Rates, Fees and Charges," Section 31 relating to
"Delinquent Service Fees," and Section 32 relating to "Sprinkler Connections."
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Board of Commissioners sitting
as the governing body of all the County water and sewer districts that the Ordinance
named herein above shall be amended by including the attached Exhibit A as the
amended Sections 20, 26, 27, 28, 31, and 32.
AND BE IT RESOLVED:
That the ordinance named herein above be amended as attached and as set
forth above, and that the Ordinance and amendments shall be and remain
in full force and effect from and after the date of its adoption; and
That the Harnett County Department of Public Utilities is hereby
authorized and directed to take such administrative actions as are
necessary so as to,implement the above Ordinance as amended.
a
Duly Adopted this .2 7 �'' of June, 2005, upon motion made by
Commissioner ytioje 1,11 and adopted by the following vote:
Ayes ,r Noes O Absent O
Kay S? Blanchard, Clerk to the Board
and to the Water and Sewer Districts
of Harnett County
Board of Coynnussioners of the County
Harnett
By: 1&'?
dy J. d, Chalrmli of the
Board and of the governing body of
the Water and Sewer Districts of
Harnett County.
0 t.
Attest:
Kay S? Blanchard, Clerk to the Board
and to the Water and Sewer Districts
of Harnett County
Board of Coynnussioners of the County
Harnett
By: 1&'?
dy J. d, Chalrmli of the
Board and of the governing body of
the Water and Sewer Districts of
Harnett County.
from any water bill by reason of any such defect or deficiency. No County employee shall
take responsibility for telling a property owner or occupant how best to care for his boiler,
heater or other equipment which is affected by the discontinuance, either temporary or
permanent, of his water supply. The owner or occupant shall be entirely responsible for his
equipment and shall hold the County and the District in no way responsible for damage
thereof.
Section 18. Protection Of Water Sunnly.
No person shall contaminate any portion of the County or of the Districts' water supply
whether the same is in a reservoir, or tank, or pipe.
Section 19. Renealing Clause.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance are hereby repealed.
If any section, paragraph, subdivision, clause or provision of this ordinance shall be
adjudged invalid, such adjudication shall
subdivision, clause or provision so adjudged,
deemed valid and effective.
Section 20. Procedures.
apply only to such section, paragraph,
and the remainder of this ordinance shall be
(a) Service will be supplied only to those who apply.
(b) Users will make application for service, in person, at HCDPU and at the same time
make the deposit guarantee required below. A $15.00 account set -up fee and/or
transfer fee of the same amount is due upon initial account set up or subsequent
transfer of a consumer's water service to another address.
(c) The amount of deposit shall be determined by entering customer information into an
On -line Utility Database. If the customer has a history of outstanding debt to other
utilities, a copy of the amount of debt and the utility to whom it is owed shall be
provided to the customer at the time of application. A credit score is determined by
this procedure.
(d) Property owners, if approved by the procedure described in Section 20 (c) above,
shall make a minimum cash deposit of $25.00. If the property owner is not approved
by the above described procedure, they will be charged a minimum deposit of
$50.00. All other users, if approved by the procedure described above, shall make a
minimum cash deposit of $50.00 per service requested. All other users with a
delinquent credit history will be charged a minimum deposit of $100.00 per service
requested. Deposits shall not accrue interest. All users who qualify as commercial
users under the current rate structure shall be exempt from this deposit requirement.
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(a) Not less than three days notice must be given in person or in writing to discontinue
service for a change in occupancy. Such notice shall be given at the HCDPU office
which has responsibility for management of water and sewer systems.
(b) The outgoing party shall be responsible for all water consumed up to the time of
departure or the time specified for departure, whichever period is longest.
Section'26. Suspension Of Service.
(a) Services may be discontinued at the request of the consumer, provided the
consumer pay all current balances or a $800 liquidating damage fee, whichever is
less. When services are discontinued and all bills paid, the deposit will be refunded
in accordance with these Rules and Regulations.
(b) Services may also be discontinued by HCDPU to any customer whose account
remains delinquent for more than ten (10) days. The deposit will be applied by
HCDPU toward settlement of the account. Any balance will be refunded to the
consumer; but if the deposit is not sufficient to cover the bill, HCDPU may
proceed to collect the balance in the usual way provided by law for the collection
of debts.
(c) Property owners may have a service discontinued for rental property in the event
that the rental unit is vacant for a period not to exceed twelve (12) months. If the
rental property is still vacant after twelve (12) months from the original suspension
date, the property owner will begin to receive minimum bills for that location.
(d) Service discontinued for non - payment of bills will be restored, at the request of the
consumer only after bills are paid in full, and a service charge of $30.00 paid for
each meter reconnected except as set forth hereafter. The consumer being
reconnected must also make the required deposit. The consumer may elect to pay
an additional service fee of $45.00 to expedite the reconnection process. The
payment of this fee will guarantee the reestablishment of water service to the
consumer on the same day the account is paid in full.
(e) After a connection has been discontinued for a period of twelve consecutive
months HCDPU may remove the meter base, meter, curb stop valve, meter box
and service line for use elsewhere or for storage.
(f) At any time after a connection has been discontinued an additional service charge
equal to the then current tap -on -fee shall be paid as a reconnection fee. Also the
consumer must make the required deposit.
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(b) HCDPU will make special meter readings at the request of the consumer for a
fee of $20.00 provided, however, that if such special reading discloses that the
meter was over read, or in error in any way, the fee will be refunded.
(c) Meters will be tested at the request of the consumer upon payment to HCDPU of
the actual cost to the County of making the test provided, however, if the meter
is found to over register or under register beyond two and one -half per centum (2
1/2) of the correct volume, no charge will be made.
(d) If the seal of the meter is broken by other than the County's representative, or if
the meter fails to register correctly, or is stopped for any cause, the consumer
shall pay an amount estimated from the record of his previous bills and /or from
other proper data.
No modification of rates or any of the rules and regulations shall be made by any
employee of the County.
Section 28. Classifications, Rates, Fees and Charges.
The following classifications, rates, fees, and charges are adopted:
(a) Classification of Service.
All services are classified under three categories to include residential,
commercial, or bulk municipal users. A residential service is a service
requiring a meter size up to and including one inch. A commercial service
is a service requiring a meter size greater than one inch up to and including
two inches. A bulk municipal service is a service requiring a meter size
greater than two inches, where the user is a municipality and /or other public
body.
(b) Rate Schedule:
(1) Residential:
Water Schedule
Flat rate, first 2,000 gallons (minimum)
All water used over 2,000 gallons
T
Monthly
$ 15.50
$ 3.75 per 1,000 gallons
Sewer Schedule Monthlv
Flat Rate, no gallons $ 14.00
Commodity charge $3.10 per 1,000 gallons
Flat sewer rate, one person household $ 23.00
Flat sewer rate, tow or more in household $ 27.50
(2), Commercial:
Water Schedule Monthlv
Flat rate, first 2,000 gallons (minimum) $ 20.00
All water used over 2,000 gallons $ 3.35 per 1,000 gallons
Flat rate, 50,000 gallons minimum $ 15.50
Commodity charge $ 3.00 per 1,000 gallons
Sewer Schedule Monthlv
Flat rate, no gallons $ 32.00
Commodity charge $ 3.80 per 1,000 gallons
Flat rate, institutional, no gallons $ 210 minimum
Commodity charge $ 3.80 per 1,000 gallons
(3) Bulk Municipal:
$1.85 for each 1,000 gallons used. Where bulk municipal connections exist, the
County may require that the water purchaser guarantee a minimum usage allocation
and payment for the same, whether used or not.
Note: Bulk municipal rates may differ depending upon the purchase of capacity in
County owned production facilities and/or other extenuating circumstances deemed
by the County.
pill
(c): Tap -On -Fees.
Water Services
2 inch connection $ 2,500
1 1/2 inch connection $ 1,650
1 inch connection $ 1,150
°3/4 inch connection $ 800
Sewer Services
4 inch gravity connection
$ 950
6 inch gravity connection
$ 1,350
8 inch gravity connection
$ 1,850
Gravity Tank
$ 2,200
Step Tank
$ 2,500
Larger connections and/or road bores, including those for bulk municipal
connections, shall be negotiated as may be appropriate.
(d) Fire Protection Charges.
Services Charges
Standby Fire Plugs $15.00 /month each added to water billing,
6 inch Sprinkler Connection
8 inch Sprinkler Connection
12 inch Sprinkler Connection
Others
plus cost of installation and materials
$25.00 /month, plus cost of installation and
materials
$50.00 /month, plus cost of installation
and materials
$100.00 /month, plus cost of
installation and materials
Negotiated
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(e) Master Meter Connection Fee.
The master meter connection fee is cost of materials, plus twenty (20) percent.
(f) Rates for persons living outside the District.
Rates for persons living outside of Harnett County and served by County water lines
owned or operated by the County or a District shall be equal to rates for persons
living inside the County so long as no tax is levied within the County for support of
the system; if a tax is levied on users inside the County for the purpose of supporting
the water system, then the users outside the County shall pay an increased rate.
(g) Water and Sewer System Capacity Use Fees.
A Water System Capacity Use Fee of $600.00 and a Sewer System Capacity Use Fee
of $700.00 per connection will be charged for all new water and/or sewer services
connecting to any water supply or distribution system and/or sewer collection system
owned and/or operated by the County of Harnett. These capacity use fees shall be
paid in the manner set forth below: The full balance of the fees shall be payable
upon the installation of a water and/or sewer service to any water supply or
distribution system and/or sewer collection system owned or operated by the
County. In instances where a water supply or distribution system and/or sewer
collection system is conveyed to either the County or a County Water and Sewer
District, if the system was not owned or operated by the County at the time a water
and/or sewer service was installed, then one -half of the capacity use fee shall be paid
at the time the system is conveyed to either the County or to a Water and Sewer
District, and the balance shall be paid within six months from the date of conveyance
or until more than fifty- percent (50 %) of the lots and/or units are sold, whichever
comes first. Large subdivisions or phases thereof, either of which are composed of
50 or more lots, are required to pay 25% of the total amount due in water and sewer
capacity use fees at the time of conveyance to the County or a County water and
sewer district. The next 25% is due in six months from the time of conveyance. The
third 25% is due at I year from conveyance and the final payment is due 18 months
from the original conveyance date. Any developer which uses this large subdivision
method of capacity use fee payment shall be required to provide payment bond to the
County for the full amount of capacity use fees for those phases of the development
which are recorded at the Hamett County Register of Deed office.
Q)
(b) The amount of the delinquent service fee provided for in this section shall be
the sum of ten ($10.00) dollars.
(c) A consumer shall have failed to pay his account when the full amount
charged to him for service supplied as stated on his bill has not been paid
over to and received by the County Department of Public Utilities by 5:00
p.m. on the due date set forth on the bill.
(d) The bill which shall be mailed to a consumer setting forth the charges due for
services supplied, shall state the due date, the amount of the bill if paid by the
due date, the amount of the bill if paid after the due date and shall further
state that if payment is not made by the due date that the delinquent service
fee will be charged.
(e) When a consumer has paid all bills rendered to him by the due date set forth
on each bill for twelve consecutive billing periods, should that consumer then
make a payment after a due date, the delinquent service fee shall be waived
for that period.
Section 32. Sprinkler Connections.
(a) Application for Full Service and Retrofitted Sprinkler Connections shall be
made in person at HCDPU. Forms to be used in application processing
shall be administratively prepared and matters otherwise associated with
service application shall be processed pursuant to and in accordance with
the rules, regulations, policies and/or procedures applicable to the service
district within which the premises to be served is located.
(b) The same schedule of connection or tap -on -fees applicable in the service
district within which the premises to be served is located shall apply with
respect to Full Service Sprinkler Connections.
(c) The following schedule of connection or tap -on -fees shall apply in all
service districts to the Retrofitted Sprinkler Connection:
2 inch connection
$1,600.00
1 1/2 inch connection
700.00
1 inch connection
450.00
3/4 inch connection
300.00
W.
Board Meeting
Agenda Item
4Ia'1)05 3
MEETINGDATE: Tune -27,2005*
TO: HARNETT COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
SUBJECT: Resolution Amending Public Utilities Ordinance and Public Hearing
REQUESTED BY: Steve Ward, HCDPU
REQUEST:
This is a formal request for the Board to approve a resolution amending the ordianance
regulating the use of water and sewer facilities operated by the County of Harnett. Most of
the changes to the ordinance are related to proposed rate and fee increases for various
services provided by HCDPU. Enclosed is a copy of the resolution complete with an
attachment showing the highlighted changes. A public hearing must be conducted before the
resolution is considered. Adequate notification has been given on the public hearing in the
local newspaper. Please place this item on the agenda at the June 27th meeting.
COUNTY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION:
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